Control circuit



J. L. WESTON CONTROL C IRCUI T Feb. 1s, 1936.

Filed March 8, 1954 @when ww Nw.

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lNvENToR Juhu L. Wieshm ATTORNEY l Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES CONTROL CIRCUIT John Weston, East Orange, N. J., assgnor to Wired Radio, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 8, 1934, Serial No. 714,659

7 Claims.

My invention pertains in general to electrical control circuits and particularly relates to a system for controlling signalling energy for broadcasting purposes.

" My invention contemplates providing means 'for the more eiicient transmission of signalling energy over wire lines which are utilized for plural' transmission purposes. For example, in the use of commercial power lines for the transmission of carrier frequency energy for program broadcasting purposes, my invention contemplates increasing the efficiency and usefulness of the system with respect to the carrier frequency reception by adjustment of the carrier frequency energy in accordance with varying conditions of commercial energy consumption loads.

One of the objects of my invention consists in providing a plural purpose transmission system in which Various forms of energy are transmitted,

and in which one form of energy is adjusted in Value to meet changing conditions attendant the transmission of another form of energy.

Another object consists in providing a transmission system employing a common medium for .25 the distribution of different forms of electrical energy with means for adjusting the magnitude of one form of transmitted energy proportionally to the consumption demand for another form of energy transmitted over the same medium.

`3 0 A still further object of my invention comprises providing a wired radio broadcasting system in which a plurality of carrier frequency programs are transmitted over a power distribution network and in which means are provided for automatical- 35 ly adjusting the energy level of the carrier frequency program signals in accordance with the energy level of the commercial alternating current transmitted over the distribution network.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification and in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout:

Fig. 1 represents one form of the construction of automatic energy level controlling apparatus employed in my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a form of the circuit arrangements employed in the control system of my invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly to Fig. 2, commercial power lines l connect with transformer equipment 2 for supplying three-phase commercial alternating current thereto. The transformer equipmentZ may be located in a substation and the lines I connected with suitable generation apparatus at a central power station. The circuit output of the trans- 4 former equipment 2 includes bus lines 3 which supply commercial alternating current through suitable regulating devices 4 and 5 to a plurality of feeder systems represented by the feeder lines 'I and 8. The feeder lines l and 8 connect with secondary transformer equipment for supplying commercial alternating current at voltages suitable for consumers use.

On the input side of the transformer equip- 10 ment 2, suitable inductive couplings are provided in association with the line I for operating a wattmeter I 0. The watt-meter I 0 indicates the instantaneous value of the commercial energy utilized by transformer equipment 2 for distribution through the bus systems to the consumers commercial power consuming devices. Referring to Fig. l, it will be seen that the meter I0 is mounted upon a suitable panel I I and is provided with an indicating needle I2. The needle I2 operates be- 20 tween two contacts I3 and I4 (seelFig. 2) which' are mounted upon an insulating sector I6. The sector I6 is secured to a shaft Il aligned with the pivot center of the needle I2. The shaft I'I is rotatably mounted in bearing member I8 and is 25 provided with a manual| knob I9 as well asa gear coupling 2D which transmits rotary motion from -a reversible motor 2| to the shaft I'I. The armature shaft of the motor 2| is also mechanically coupled by gears with another shaft 23 which ro- 30 tatably operates three potentiometers 24, 25, and 26. Knobs I9 and 22 are mechanically arranged so that the potentiometer or disc I6 may be adjusted by hand if desired or required. A reversing switch unit 21 is also mounted upon the panel 35 I I for purposes which will hereinafter be apparent.

Referring back to Fig. 2, terminal 28 is connected with needle I2 while terminal 29 is commonly connected to one side of electromagnets 40 30 and 3|. The other side of electromagnets 30 and 3| are connected with the contacts I3 and I4, respectively. The terminals 28 and 29 may be connected with any suitable source of energy for actuating the electromagnets 30 and 3|. 45 These electromagnets are positioned for actuation of a movable armature 33 bearing a pair of insulated contacts 34 and 35. Contacts 34 and 35 connect with the motor 2|. Terminal 36 is connected with a pair of contacting members positioned on opposite sides of the armature 33 and engageable with contacts 34 and 35, respectively, depending upon which of themagnets 30 or 3| actuates armature 33. Terminal 31 is similarly connected but in a reverse manner so 55 that when suitable energy is applied to terminals 36 and 37 the connections to motor 2| may be reversed at will depending` upon the direction of operation of armature 33. The armature 33 is provided with suitable springs not shown for maintaining a normal position intermediate the electromagnets and 3| so that the contacts 3,4 and :35 are normally not in engagement with any of the connections to motor 2|. Such an arrangement comprises the reversing unit 2l employed in my system for determining the direction of operation of motor 2|.

Suitable input connections are provided to ampliers 40, 4|, and 42, for supplying modulated carrier frequency energy thereto. Carrier frequency energy independently supplied to these amplifiers may be modulated in accordance with desired programs, each of the carrier frequencies being of a different value. The potentiometers 24, 25, and 26, control the Signalling energy level in each of the amplifiers l0- 42. The output lcircuits of these ampliers are respectively con- `nected with lters d4, A5, and 46 which each include band frequency segregation means as well as phase conversion means so that, as a whole,

lthe three filters operate to deliver three phase carrier frequency energy in a plurality of dis- 'crete program carrier frequency ranges to a bus system 41 comprising three different phase lines. The phase lines of the bus system 41 respectively connect through coupling condensers 48 and 49 and protective fuses 50 and 5| to the `feeder lines and 8 whereby carrier frequency mercial energy level, will move to the right, thereby engaging with contact M. As soon as the needle l2 engages with contact |l|, a circuit is completed to electromagnet 3|. Energization of electromagnet 3| actuates'arrnature 33 so that -the contacts 34 and 35 complete an energizing `circuit to motor 2|. Energization of motor 2| simultaneously causes the movement of potenvtiometers 24-26 and movement of sector I6 in Aa direction similar to the movement of needle I2. As soon as the sector Hi has moved to a position approximating the new position of the needle I2, the contact I3 will be moved out of engagement with needle I2, thereby interrupting the circuit to the electromagnet 3| whereby the armature 33 is released to its normal position 'and the motor 2| d eenergized. Deenergization of the motor 2| will cause the disc l5 and potentiometers 24-26 to be brought to rest. It will j of course be understood that any suitable damp- Y ing means may be provided, if required, for preventing excessive or undesirable movement of either the disc I6 or potentiometers 2li-26.

Any increase in the commercial alternating K current consumption will cause a corresponding `movement of the needle l2 and a corresponding adjustment of the potentiometers 24-26 in the separate amplifiers dil- 42 so that the carrier frequency energy level is maintained proportional to the instantaneous commercial energy transmitted conjointly therewith over the power lines l and 8. ,On the other hand, if the commercial energy is decreased. the needle |2 moves in a reverse direction so that the contact I3 completes an energizing circuit to electromagnet 3B. 'Ihe armature 33 is then moved in a reversed direction for completing a reversed energizing circuit to motor 2|. The disc |6 is then moved in a reversed direction following the movement of the needle |2, but interrupted when the disc I6 has moved the required distance.` The potentiometers thus being moved in a reversed direction will decrease the signalling energy level in the amplifiers -42 so that the signalling energy level is decreased in proportion to the decrease in the value of the commercial alternating current transmitted over the same bus lines.

In accordance with my invention such adjustments may be almost continuously required depending upon changing distribution conditions, and will be particularly required when the commercial current demand curve abruptly arises such as in the evening when a great many consumers lighting systemsand the like are put into operation within a short time. The method of my invention provides for such contingencies and insures that the carrier signalling energy delivered 'to the consumers shall be maintained at an eicient level in proportion to the commercial energy consumption. The apparatus of my invention insures the continuous automatic adjustment of the relationship between the commercial energy and the program energy for most 530 emcient operation. Although I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my system as one means forv carrying out my method, it will of course be apparent that changes can be made without de parting from the intended scope of my invention. r3.5

I do not therefore desire to limit myself thereto except insofar as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and original and desire 1. The method of supplying commercial electrical energy and signalling electrical energy to a load distribution network comprising adjusting to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 5142-0 the signalling energy level in accordance with4'5 energy impressed upon the power lines in ac-rr cordance with the instantaneous energy level ofl the commercial power applied to said network.

4. The method of transmitting signalling electrical energy over wire lines through which commercial electrical energy of varying magnitudes,y

Vis transmitted comprising, maintaining a con' tinuous proportionality between said signalling energy and said commercial energy.

5. A system of transmitting modulated carrier frequency energy to a consumers premises over wire lines also carrying to said consumers premises other, non-signal electrical energy having variations in energy level comprising, means responsive to said variations, and means for supplying said carrier frequency energy at energyV levels controlled by said last mentioned means.

6. A transmission system comprising, a power distribution network, means for supplying commercial energy to said network, means for detecting the instantaneous energy level of said commercial energy, means for supplying carrier frequency energy to said network, and means for controlling the energy level of said carrier frequency energy under control of said detecting means.

7. A control system comprising, a power distribution network, means fo'r supplying commercial energy to said network, a device having a member movable in response to changes in said commercial energy level, movable means having contacts selectively engageable by said member depending upon its direction of movement, reversible motor means controlled by said contacts, the direction of said motor means being determined by the selective engagement of said member with said contacts, carrier frequency circuit means for supplying carrier frequency energy to said distribution network, and energy adjusting means for controlling the carrier frequency energy level, said last mentioned means being operated by said motor means for automatically maintaining the carrier frequency energy level in accordance with the commercial energy level.

JOHN L. WESTON. 

